"The Practice" last night

[Mom-to-3]

Aargh! The hot water heater started leaking and I missed some important stuff.

Was the stalker the killer? Did he get convicted? Were there any twists?

What did the girl's mother say on the witness stand? Was there anything beyond the judge saying the girl had to go back?

Anyone want to guess whether the plumbers will be busy on a Monday morning after a long weekend?

 

[TerriP]

Yikes, sorry about the plumbing!! Hope it's already being fixed this morning.

Let's seeeeee, the mother did a very good job of explaining that her culture is not wrong just because it is different from American culture. She used the death penalty and circumcision (sp?) as examples of American practices that are considered barbaric in others cultures, just as arranged marriages seem barbaric in America. She really was very well spoken and presented a good case. The judge ordered the daughter back into her parent's custody. The child was upset that she couldn't appeal the decision, but, in the end, she peacefully left with her parents. Sort of resigned to her fate, I guess.

The husband of the murdered woman was accused of having an affair and pleaded the Fifth Ammendment on the stand when asked about it. This caused him to look like a possible suspect in her murder and eventually led to the stalker being found Not Guilty. On the steps of the courthouse, as the stalker was being intervewed by the media, he was gunned down. Turns out the husband tipped off the DA about a fake affair just to get the stalker acquitted and then set up the shooting. He knew the stalker would not get the death sentence and would eventually be parolled, so he helped get gim off and then had him killed himself.



Wow...I just read what I wrote...confusing!! Hope it made some senes to you!!

 

[Mom-to-3]

Terri, thanks! It made perfect sense. Is there any way the husband can be charged with anything with regard to the shooting? Why was it important that the lawyer had been the stalker's lawyer 10 years ago?

Plumber due between 8:30 and 9:00. Here's hoping it's something little...

 

[Wishing on a star]

About the 12 year old girl... The judge did NOT want to send her back. The mother was, as the little girl had warned the lawyer, very tough. Almost outright blasting the U.S. The whole theme here was all the rampant anti-American sentiment in the world... But they all sure want to immigrate or seek assylum here!

The Judge ruled that the girl must go back, NOT because it was right. He declared it abhorrant... But, as a judge he said he simply must rule by the law, and the interpretation of 'persecution'... In the girls culture, what she faced back home was in no way considered persecution, so the Judge had to deny her motion.

The reason that they threw in the part about the lawyer having defended the murder, that was there for two reasons.... First, simply for DRAMA! It is TV!!! But, as far as the story line, it was the whole "Evil defense lawyers getting criminals off the hook", "Flawed justice system", etc... This gives the Husband the catalyst to want to take justice into his own hands. Also, it is left kind of open... The husband is questioned and released. So, it appears that he will not be charged with hiring a hit-man to kill the murderer. It is kind of left hanging open in an eery menacing way.

 

[TerriP]

The cops questioned the husband for five hours but then released him. If they find evidence linking him to the shooting, they can prosecute, but it doesn't look like they will. At least that was the impression I got.

OH!! I forgot about the lawyer...sorry. The lawyer (can't remember his name...ugh) represented the stalker ten years ago in a murder trial. He got him off. The husband said he now hates the lawyer because if he hadn't gotten the stalker off ten years ago, the wife would not be dead now. It also meant the lawyer couldn't represent the husband in a civil suit because he'd have a conflict of interest since the stalker was a past client.

Hey, it's 9:30....hopefully your plumber is on the case!!

 

[KathyFP]

Powerful show! I don't usually watch the practice, but was flipping channels and started to watch.